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Parliament of the Empire of Zardugal
The Parliament of the Empire of Zardugal, more known as The Imperial Parliament '''(''Augustan: ''La Imperio Parlamento'''), is the supreme legislative body of the Empire of Zardugal. It alone possesses legislative supremacy and thereby ultimate power over all other political bodies in Zardugal. The Parliament is bicameral but has three parts, consisting of the Sovereign (the Emperor-in-Parliament), the House of Lords, and the House of Commons (the primary chamber). The two houses meet in the Palace of the Parliament in the City of Beleco, Endiraho. House of Lords and House of Commons The House of Lords includes the Lords Temporal, consisting mainly of life peers, appointed by the Sovereign on the advice of the Prime Minister, and of 173 hereditary peers, sitting either by virtue of holding a royal office, or by being elected by their fellow hereditary peers. The House of Commons is an elected chamber with elections to 350 single member constituencies held at least every six years under the first-past-the-post system. The two Houses meet in separate chambers in the Palace of the Parliament (also known as the Palace of Beleco) in Beleco, Endiraho. By constitutional convention, all government ministers, including the Prime Minister, are members of the House of Commons or, less commonly, the House of Lords and are thereby accountable to the respective branches of the legislature. Most cabinet ministers are from the Commons, whilst junior ministers can be from either House. However, the Leader of the House of Lords must be a peer. In theory, Zardugal’s supreme legislative power is officially vested in the Crown-in-Parliament. However, the Crown normally acts on the advice of the Prime Minister and the powers of the House of Lords are limited to only delaying legislation; thus power is de facto vested in the House of Commons. Composition and Powers The legislative authority, the Crown-in-Parliament, has three separate elements: the Monarch, the House of Lords, and the House of Commons. No individual may be a member of both Houses, and members of the House of Lords are legally barred from voting in elections for members of the House of Commons. Formerly, no-one could be a member of Parliament while holding an office of profit under the Crown, thus maintaining the separation of powers, but the principle has been gradually eroded. Royal Assent of the Monarch is required for all Bills to become law, and certain delegated legislation must be made by the Monarch by Order in Council. The Crown also has executive powers which do not depend on Parliament, through prerogative powers, including the power to make treaties, declare war, award honours, and appoint officers and civil servants. In practice, these are always exercised by the monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister and the other ministers of HIM Government. The Prime Minister and government are directly accountable to Parliament, through its control of public finances, and to the public, through the election of members of parliament. The Monarch also appoints the Prime Minister, who then forms a government from members of the Houses of Parliament. This must be someone who could command a majority in a confidence vote in the House of Commons. In case of early resignation due to vote of no confidence, the monarch is advised by the outgoing Prime Minister as to whom he or she should offer the position next. In case of death, the Deputy Prime Minister will suceed and perform the duties of the said office. The powers of the House of Lords have been very much less than those of the House of Commons. All bills except money bills are debated and voted upon in the House of Lords; however, by voting against a bill, the House of Lords can only delay it for a maximum of two parliamentary sessions over a year. After that time, the House of Commons can force the Bill through without the Lords' consent, under the Parliament Acts. The House of Lords can also hold the government to account through questions to government ministers and the operation of a small number of select committees. The Commons are represented in the House of Commons, which is formally styled "The Honourable The Commons in Parliament Assembled" ("commons" coming not from the term "commoner", but from commune, the old Canrillaise term for a district). In 4621, the House consists of 350 members. Each Member of Parliament (MP) is chosen by a single constituency by the First-Past-the-Post electoral system. Universal adult suffrage exists for those 18 and over; citizens of Zardugal are qualified to vote, unless they are in prison at the time of the election. The term of members of the House of Commons depends on the term of Parliament, a maximum of six years; a general election, during which all the seats are contested, occurs after each dissolution. All legislation must be passed by the House of Commons to become law and it controls taxation and the supply of money to the government. Government ministers (including the Prime Minister) must regularly answer questions in the House of Commons and there are a number of select committees that scrutinise particular issues and the workings of the government. There are also mechanisms that allow members of the House of Commons to bring to the attention of the government particular issues affecting their constituents. State Opening of Parliament The State Opening of Parliament is an annual event that marks the commencement of a session of the Parliament of the Empire of Zardugal. It is held in the House of Lords Chamber. The ceremony is being held every fourth week of June. The monarch reads a speech, known as the Speech from the Throne, which is prepared by the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, outlining the Government's agenda for the coming year. The speech reflects the legislative agenda for which the Government intends to seek the agreement of both Houses of Parliament. Emblem The quasi-official emblem of the Houses of Parliament is the rotunda of the Palace of the Parliament, generally believed to be the symbol of rule of law and legislative power in Zardugal, the cradle of the Empire’s laws as it is where the original texts of the many constitutions of the Empire are being kept, even the ones dating back to the first Augustan Empire by Augustus the Great. The rotunda has also become a symbol of camaraderie (depicted by its “uniting columns“), People Power, and democracy. It came to be accepted during the Felipean era as the emblem of both houses of parliament. This was simply a result of custom and usage rather than a specific decision. The emblem now appears on official stationery, publications and papers, and is stamped on various items in use in the Palace of the Parliament, such as cutlery, silverware and indralaware. Various shades of red and green are used for visual identification of the House of Lords and the House of Commons. Category:Zardugal Category:Federation of Zardugal Category:Government of Zardugal Category:Zardic people and politicians Category:National legislatures Category:Parliament